Specials (studio album) by The Specials

This is quite a monotonous and repetitive listen that felt rather slow for me. The instrumentals seem very similar from track to track and none of them really hook me into the record. It does blend some interesting styles together and this fusion is maintained pretty well throughout but it just gets boring after a while. If you picked out individual tracks and gave them an isolated listen they would sound superior but with them in an album context it just doesn't work and I find myself getting drawn out of the album quite a lot. Also, I find the instrumentation to be a bit simplistic and I feel like the record could do with some more experimentation and flare. Overall, this album really lacks a punch for me and after the many listens I have given it, I still haven't grasped the record or understood the hype surrounding it.

I like more punk tunes and this is definitely original, but I can't stand big part of this record.

From Jboy56 01/13/2022 08:19

Ska is pretty boring music if listened to this many songs in a row. Put the best tracks on a mixed playlist,. then it will be okay. Fun music and well-executed and produced,

fun ska. gangsters epic

Favorite Tracks:Nite Klub, Blank Expression, Little Bitch

Very consistent, high energy album and a great introduction album for anyone wanting to get into 2-tone which mixes Punk with Ska.

Fun, energetic and great production provided by Elvis Costello. If there is one ska album you should have in your collection it's this one!

There are a few really good tracks on this album but most are just good. I like ska but when they split and formed fun boy 3, i thought the music went to a higher level.

From planetneutral 01/13/2018 16:25

Pretty much what a ska album produced by Elvis Costello would sound like.

This is ranked outside the top 500 albums! Incomprehensible!! This is a real classic- so much energy, humour and personality. This album is a joy. So many classics including their peerless cover of "a message to you Rudy". The pace never lets up and the tracks simply burst out of the speakers. Highly recommended.